Amy Shark leads ARIA Award nominees

WOMEN who roared across the pop and alternative airwaves and commanded our stages this year, lead by Amy Shark, Courtney Barnett and Tash Sultana, have dominated the 2018 ARIA awards nominations.

The dreaming stories on the historic final album Djarimirri by Gurrumul also struck a chord with the music industry with seven nominations.

The record, the first indigenous language album to debut at No. 1, opened this year's honour roll, winning Best World Music and Cover Art at the nominations ceremony in Sydney yesterday.

Shark, whose debut record Love Monster was adored by tens of thousands of fans who fell in love with altpop anthems including I Said Hi tops the leaderboard this year with nine nominations, followed by grunge queen Barnett with eight.

Another much-anticipated and strong debut Flow State, from multi-instrumentalist wiz Sultana will contest six awards at the ceremony on November 28 at The Star in Sydney.

The dominance of dance pop on our charts this year is also reflected in the 2018 roll call with PNAU picking up seven nominations for their fifth album Changa, whose singles Chameleon and Go Bang maintained a presence in the top 50 for most of the year.

Their fellow electro pop stars Peking Duk weren't far behind them with five nominations as was Dean Lewis whose bloke breakup anthem Be Alright not only spent five weeks at No. 1 but is starting to blow up internationally with more than 175 million streams.

One of the big surprises of the awards, and a reflection of the times with more artists choosing to own their work and get major labels to release it, was spotting Angus and Julia Stone in Best Independent Release, among their three nominations.

While the brother and sister duo have long been signed to EMI, they set up their own label for their latest record Snow, funding the recording and marketing of the album from their pockets.

Another two artists who have performed strongly on the international airwaves in the past year, 5 Seconds of Summer and Troye Sivan, were also recognised for their achievements with Youngblood and Bloom respectively up for four awards.

The strength and diversity of new blood emerging shaking up the Australian airwaves was evident in the Breakthrough Artist nominations with 16-year-old soul star Ruel joining Alex Lahey, Jack River, Odette and Mojo Juju in the female-dominated field.

Shark's team opened their 2018 ARIA Awards account early at the nominations event with Dann Hume and M-Phazes named Producers of the Year for their work on her smash hit I Said Hi.

Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer. Supplied by Universal Music.

Barnett also had a win with her studio collaborator Burke Reid named Engineer of the Year.

There was also a bittersweet victory for the axed ABC show Tonightly, with Bridie and Wyatt taking out Best Comedy Release with Sex Pest.

Keith Urban will host the 2018 ARIA Awards broadcast on Nine.

Apple Music Album Of The Year

Amy Shark​​ - Love Monster

Courtney Barnett​​ - Tell Me How You Really Feel

Gurrumul​​ - Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow) ​

Pnau​​ - Changa

Troye​​ ​Sivan​​ - Bloom

Best Male Artist

Dan​​ ​Sultan​​ - Killer Under A Blood Moon

Dean​​ ​Lewis​​ - Be Alright

Gurrumul​​ - Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow) ​

Troye​​ ​Sivan​​ - Bloom

Vance​​ ​Joy​​ - Nation Of Two

Troye Sivan is nominated for an ARIA too. Picture: Getty

Best Female Artist

Alison​​ W​onderland​​ - Awake

​Amy​​ S​hark​​ - Love Monster

Courtney​​ ​Barnett​​ - Tell Me How You Really Feel

Sia​​ - Flames

Tash​​ ​Sultana​​ - Flow State ​

Best Dance Release

Alison​​ W​onderland​​ - Awake ​

Fisher​​ - Losing It

Peking​​ ​Duk​​ - Fire

Pnau​​ - Go Bang ​

RÜFÜS​​ D​U SOL​​ - No Place

PNAU, is a dance music trio originating from Sydney.

Best Group

5 Seconds Of Summer​​ - Youngblood

DMA's​​ - For Now

Peking​​ ​Duk​​ - Fire ​

Pnau​​ - Go Bang

RÜFÜS​​ D​U SOL​​ - No Place ​

Breakthrough Artist

Alex​​ ​Lahey​​ - I Love You Like A Brother

Jack​​ ​River​​ - Sugar Mountain

Mojo​​ ​Juju​​ - Native Tongue

Odette​​ - To A Stranger

Ruel​​ - Dazed & Confused

Best Pop Release

5 Seconds Of Summer​​ - Youngblood

Amy​​ ​Shark​​ - Love Monster

Dean​​ ​Lewis​​ - Be Alright

Jack​​ ​River​​ - Sugar Mountain

Troye​​ ​Sivan​​ - Bloom

Angus and Julia Stone are also up for an award. Picture: Jennifer Stenglein.

Best Urban Album

360​​ - Vintage Modern

Esoterik​​ - My Astral Plane

Hilltop​​ ​Hoods​​ - Clark Griswold (feat. Adrian Eagle)

Kerser​​ - Engraved In The Game

Best Independent Album

Angus & Julia Stone - Snow

Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel

DMA'S - For Now

Gurrumul - Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow)

Pnau - Go Bang

Gurrumul, who has passed away, is also nominated. Picture: Supplied

Best Rock Album

Camp Cope - How To Socialise & Make Friends

Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel

DMA'S - For Now

Luca Brasi - Stay

Middle Kids - Lost Friends

Best Adult Contemporary Album

Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice

Dan Sultan - Killer Under A Blood Moon

Missy Higgins - Solastalgia

Odette - To A Stranger

Vance Joy - Nation Of Two

Tash Sultana performs to massive crowds and is up for multiple crowds. Picture: @daramunnis

Best Country Album

Adam Eckersley & Brooke McClymont - Adam & Brooke

Fanny Lumsden - Real Class Act

Kasey Chambers & The Fireside Disciples - Campfire

The Wolfe Brothers - Country Heart

Travis Collins - Brave & The Broken

Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album

DZ Deathrays - Bloody Lovely

King Parrot - Ugly Produce

Parkway Drive - Reverence

Polaris - The Mortal Coil

West Thebarton - Different Beings Being Different

Peking Duck are also in the mix for an ARIA Award. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Best Blues & Roots Album

Angus & Julia Stone - Snow

Emily Wurramara - Milyakburra

Mama Kin Spender - Golden Magnetic

Ruby Boots - Don't Talk About It

Tash Sultana - Flow State

Best Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album

Evelyn Ida Morris - Acute Misfortune (Original Soundtrack)

Jessica Mauboy - The Secret Daughter Season Two (Songs for the Original 7 Series) (

Jimmy Barnes - Working Class Boy: The Soundtracks

LIARS - 1/1 (Original Soundtrack)

Various Artists - Muriel's Wedding: The Musical (The Original Cast Recording)

Jimmy Barnes is nominated for best soundtrack. Picture: Michael Klein

Best Children's Album

Justine Clarke - The Justine Clarke Show!

Lah-Lah - 10th Birthday Party

Sam Moran - Santa's Coming!

Teeny Tiny Stevies - Helpful Songs For Little People

The Wiggles - Wiggle Pop!

PUBLIC VOTED AWARDS

Apple Music Song Of The Year

5 Seconds Of Summer - Youngblood

Amy Shark - I Said Hi

Angus & Julia Stone - Chateau

Conrad Sewell - Healing Hands

Dean Lewis - Be Alright

Peking Duk - Fire/Reprisal

Pnau - Go Bang

Sheppard - Coming Home

Troye Sivan - My My My! (EMI)

Vance Joy - Lay It On Me

Vance Joy is also up for a few ARIA gongs as his music career continues to grow. Picture: Chris Kidd

Best Video

Amy Shark - I Said Hi

Client Liaison - Survival In The City

Courtney Barnett - Need A Little Time

Dean Lewis - Be Alright

Gang Of Youths - The Heart Is A Muscle

Mojo Juju - Native Tongue

Peking Duk - Fire

Pnau - Go Bang

Tash Sultana - Salvation

The Presets - Do What You Want

Best Australian Live Act

5 Seconds Of Summer - Meet You There Tour

Amy Shark - Love Monster Tour

Client Liaison - Expo Liaison

Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel National Tour

Dean Lewis - 2017 National Tour

Gang Of Youths - 2017 National Tour

Paul Kelly - Life Is Fine Tour 2017

Peking Duk - The Wasted Tour

Pnau - Pnau Changa Australian Tour

Tash Sultana - Homecoming Tour

Paul Kelly is also nominated for Best Aussie live act. Picture: Supplied